Aircraft with swinging wings



March 29 1927- A EHRLCH AIRCRAFT W'ITI-I SWINGING wmes Filed April 8. 1926 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF1CE.

ADOLF EHRLICH, 01 BUDAPEST, II'Q'NGABY.

mcmma: wrrn swmeme wirres.

Apizliction 1u1 April a,

My' inventio.n relat es to airctafts with swinging wingS and has for its object an improvement of the utili zation of thq power und alsowin increase in the carrymg ca- 5 pacity.

In aeroplanes moved by nieans of ropellers' and inclined supporting sur aces the greatest part o f the consumed f01' the -forward movement 0f 10 the .aircraft and only a small ortion thereof f01 lifting the aircra'ft although for' the latter purpose'cpnsiderably' more power is necessary than f01 the forward move1nent 0f the aircraft which is already floatmg.

|5 Aeroplanes can therefore only rise a.nd remain floating ab an unaltered altitude, 01' can desend slowly When they tnovg forward rapidly at the same time. These drawbacks, with which is qombined an insufiicient car 20 rying capacity 0f the aircra-ft are elimihated according to the present invention in tl 1at thg greatest portion of the motive power is used for lifting the aircraft and a smal1er portion thereof' for the forwald movementl The Inain feature o:f my inventioniesides in the fact that the lifting oftlie tlilf(3l'ft is efl'ected by me ans of blades, swinging alterna'tely upwards und" downwards on 'shafts remaimng horizontal which blades are actuated by cum discs. The forwixrd r'novment fis efl'ected by a. horizontal forwardly 'directed component of the f0rce which mainly has a lifting efl'ect.

A fu rther characteristic fature of the fiight, cn project itself away 0m the ground by means of previously folded und" of acam dlsc on the line A-A of Fig'ure 5,

mot1ve ower is ma'in shaft of which disposed wihgs are nmved invention resides therein that the aircraft, 4 in order to fa'cilitate the startin' of the at which the wings swing By reason 1826.. Sexial 1m 100,728.

Figure 7 illustrates in cross section a wing constructed in accordance with the invention. 1-

Figure 8 is a side elevat-ion of"the aircraft with a projecting arrangement arrangm under the framwork of the aircraft. The full lii1es illustrate the projecting rods in the folded osition und the broken lines in the stretched positiori.

The framework 1 carriesat the top the cabin 2, lower down the moto1 3, on the there inay be secured propeller 5. At the on the main'shaft 4,

a t the freut a small rear there are secured one behind the other, two cam di'scs 6. Un derneath th'e motor' shaft 4 there iue ar-' ranged parallel therto two horizontal shiz ts 7 forthe win'gs -9. The s'hafts 7 carry, by means 0f hinged links 8, two oscillatory yvihgs 9. Euch two' oppositely 1 1p und down alternately common disc.

by means f 41 F or this purpose there are provided oh the two side "faces of each displaced grooves 10, 10'. 10, 10' there engages by 11 11 a pin '13, 13' projecting from the dnving rod 12, 12'.- The free end of 52, 52' of the saidlod i's enlarged and is proided dis0 6 relatively With the ggoove maa'ns of a roller with a recess 53, 53 so thaf this can embrace the motor Haft 4 b 'means of a. poller 14, 14. The lower en of the driv 1n rod is hinged to a short projection 15, 15 projecting upwardly froln the wing 9' near tlu shaft 7.

The groove 10 or 10 in the caim-disc 6 con- Sists of two sections, one section having twice the length of am than the pther. The limiting; surfaces of the grooves are formed ms a circulanvolute. struction cf the grooves 10, 10' the separate wing bladeg connected thereto by the driving rods 12, 12' are moved up anal down during the uniform stan t speed. The cam discs 6 the d irection .of the a re rotated in arrows, w h1lst the speed downwardly is rotation of the shaft 4 at a con- By reason of th-is con-f 05 twice the speed of the upward movement.

o f this d iflerence in speed the downwardlx swin%'ing wings in comparison 'with the pward y swingmg with aQt least .four times the zur resistance so wings meefl tha t the dowxiwardly swinging wings lift the aircraft body to a greatep extent than the upwardly' moving wings tends tolower the aircraft.

'lhe middle portion is formecl half 1oof slmf e und is so arranged that the roof surface 17 is incliniad downwardly towa"rds the front (Figure 7).

In order to ensure the stability of the aircraft the right hand front wing 9 forms' a pair with the left band rear one and the lef t band front one forms a pair with the right hand 1ear one whon two pairs of wings zire provided. If three pairs oi' w'ings a1e provided the 1ni l lle rigrht hand one und the middle left liund wing forn1 the thiul pai1' of w'vings. Tho wings forming a pair thus carry out the upwnr lly und downwanxlly swinging movmnentsimultanoously.

The arrangement of the wlng shalts 7 underneath the heavy parts o'E the aircraft body also increases the stability of the floating aircraft. As the centre of gravity of the floating airoraft simultaneously fonns its fulcrum and the forces pro(lucing a torquo thoreon become the 1nore offective the farther they act from the fulcrum, therefore the gravities of the wings come 1nto consideration to a, predominating extent as torques. These torques may also have a lese disturbi.ng efiect on the sustenance of the floating air-craft the lower they come into umlerneath the common centre of gravity.

The diflerence of an aircraft with the common center of giravity situated nbove the horizontal plane of the wings from an aircraft with the center of gravity beneath the wings consists therein that in the former case, i. e., the centre of gravity above the wings, the originally upright aircraft getting by any accident siolevvays inclined, the torque on the raised half, owing to the increased horizontal distance of' the partial gravity of the respeetive wing from the vertical line of the common centre of gravity too increases, und the torque on the lowerecl half, owing to the less distant partial gravity, decreases whereby the inclined aircraft automatically gets erected, whereas, the common centre of gravity being benoath the horizontal plane 01 the wings, the torque on the raised half of the accidentally sideways inclino l aircraft deoreases, and that on the lowered half 1ncreasos wheroby the 1nclina tion of the aecidentally sidoWays -i.nclino l uircraft automatically increases until the origmally upnght zurcraft gets totally ovorturned.

The stability of the floating aiic1afls ist still further increased in that the halfroof which facilitate upward swinging, am surr0unded by a flat-se'am, whereby in the case of an eventual turning of the whole .aircraft the cuttin of the wing edges into the air is rendere as diflicult as the movement thereof out of the air on the other side.

17 o-f the Wing surfaco The upwzml swinglng of the wing; 1Elittively to its downward swinging is also comsiderably facilitated by reason of the fact filmt the 1nitlclle wing part 17 is provide l with openings 18 in which are arranged flaps 19 which open downwardly. These flaps close by reason of' the air resistance during "the downwanl movement und are openod lu1ing the upwarcl movement. As the lowmmnlly swin';xingr win;: lo:1rs mainly aguinst the air rosistunvo ovaun-ing at the wing points und thus miscs the ai1oraft body il is possiblo (o provi le in the pnrts of the wing surl'aco, a(ljucenlt the sliaft 5, lange 1'0- ('(v-zs0s' 20 which ron ler the downward view possil le.

'lhe s1lrfaco 17 oi' the wing 9 consists by 10nson ol the half 1oof liko construction of a considorably lurger part 58, slightly inclined towznds l'ho lronl, an(l a snmller pzut 57, sleeply lll('llll0(l townr ls the 1oar, whereby the component of the :Lll' rosistzmce direclod horizontully fonvurds und which ocours dur- 111g the downwarcl sw1ngmg of the wmg,

v1noves the aircraft forwardly.

Tl1e starting device illustrated in Figu1e 8 conslsts substantially of four three memberod artificial legs and the corresponcling link rods. ()n the frame 1 are providd transverse slmfts 21 which at the front and 1'02t1' eacl1 notatably carry two artificial upper leg poftions 22. The two front und the two rear upper leg portions 22 are connecte l together by means of a transverse rocl 25. T0 the middle of the two transverse 1ods 25 is l1ingeclly cnneoted a longitudinal ro l 26 so that loy reason of this connection all the four upper leg portions can be swung simultaneously forwards 01' backwards on their shafts 21.

. Tl1e lower en(l of the nppor leg ortion 22 is liingo(lly connocrcd to the fulorum of the lower le'g portion 27 forming a tWo a1mod levor. 'lo the shorter upper arm ot' the lower leg ortion 27 is Connectecl a link rod23 which is rotatably mounted 011 a transverse shaft in the frame 1. The lower end of the lever 27 is hingeclly connected to the midclle of the foot ortion 28. The f1oc en l of the fioot portion 28 is Connecte l l y a link ro l 29 to a projection 30 o1 the uppor log porlion 22. 'll1e othor cn l of the iool portion 28 cnrrios a transverse slmi't 36 fol' the running whools 31.

o1 sml lenly stretchinp; the bent lege there is provi lod a two armed lever 21 of whivh the lower arm is connouted to the longitudinal 10d 26 and of which the upper a wing,

a sudden movement of the longitudinaliocl in consequ'ence 01 which all the bent legs n1e suddenly stretched and the aircraft at the commencement 0f fligllt is projectecl upwardly.

I am aware (hat other modifications besides those shown in the drawing may be found useful and lie within the'scope'- of my invention.

What I claim as rny invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In an aircraft witlr swinging wings the combination of a ower engine, cum discs fastened on the longitudinal extension 0f the drivingshaft of said power engine, a groo ve 0n each side of each of the discs, a connecting rod between the wing, a pin on saidconnecting rod and a roller on said pin engxgingin said connecting rod havingan enlarged end. a slot in this enlarged end, a roller in said slot mounted on th driving shaft.

In an aircrai't with swinging wing the combination 0f a power engine, can1 discs fastened on the longitudinal extension of the driving shaft of said power engine, a groove on each side of euch of the discs, a conne'cting rod betweeen the disc and eacl1 Wing, a pin on said connecting rod and a roller on said pin engaging in saidgroove, said connecting rod av1 ng an enlarged end, a slot in this enlurged end, a roller in the slotmounted on the driving shaft. said grooves on the cam discs so constructed and arranged that the downward swinging 0f the wings takes of the upward swinging.

3. In an aircraft with swinging wings' the combination of a powet engine, cam discs fastened. on the extended driving shaft, a groove on each side of each of the discs, a connecting rod between a disc and each wing, a pin on said connecting rod and a roller on said pin engaging in the groove, said conneoting rod having an enlarged end, a. slot in this enlarged end, a roller in the slot mounted on said diiving shaft, two shafts fox" the wings parallel to the driving shaft and below the level 'of the driving shaft.

4. In an aircraft with swinging wings the combination of a power engine, cum discs fastened on the driving shaft of said power engine, a groove on eaich s ide- 0f said discs, a connectintg rod for each groove and a pin 011 said connecting rod and a roller on said pin engaging in said groove,

one cam dis'c and two opposite Wings arranged in front of the vertical line of the 'centre of gravity, another. cam diso and two opposite wings behind sa'id vertical line, the groove on the front disc serving to move the left band frnt wing similarly arranged to the groove on the rear disc moving the right band rear wing, so that said disc and eacl1 said groove,

place at t wice the speed wings swing simultaneously downward-s,

and owing to a similar 'arrangemeht the right band front wing swings simultaneously downwar ds with the le ft band rear wing f01 preventing the alternate forward and lmckward inclining of the flying nircraft.

5. In an aircraft with swinging Wings the combination of a power engine, a shaft driven thereby, cam discs on said shaft, means for transmittihg the power from the cam discs to the swinging wings, a half. roof shaped surface in the middle portion in the directiou of the longitudinal axis oi:' the wing of which the Considerably larger -front portion hasa slight incliniztion forwardly, and of which the smaller rear portion' has a stee p inclination rearwardly. 6. In an ai-rcraft with-swinging wings, the combination of a ower engine, a shaft driven thereby, cam discs on sz'1-id shaft, means for transmitting the power" from the ca1n discs t0 the swinging wings, a half roof shaped surface in the middle portion in the direction of the. longitudinal axis of the wing of w hich the considerably langer front part has a slight inc lination forwardly and of which the smaller rear portion has asteep inclination rearwardly, openings in the middle wing part, flaps in these openings wl1ich are so constructed and arranged that the same are open during the upward swinging and closed during the downward swinging.

7. In an aircraft with cor'nbination of a power engine,v a shaft driven thereby, 'cam discs on said shaft, meansfor. transmitting the po'wer from the cum discs to the swing1ng win'gs, wings with .halfroof shaped surfaces in the middle portion thereof, a flat seam surrounding these.

8.- In an aircraft with swinging wings the combination of a Power engine, a shaft driven thereby, caln discs on said shaft, Ineans for transmi tting the power f1om said ca1n discs to the swinging wings, a half roof shaped surface in the middle por-ti0n of the wingr, aflat seam surroundingthis half roof shaped middleportion of the wing, a larger part of the wing adjacent to the axis of rotation forming a flat plain, this plain part of the wing provided with large flapless openings which render the downward view from the cabin possible. Y

9. In.an aircraft with swinging wings the combinatidn of a power engine, a shaf-t driven thereby, connecting rods betw.een said discs andjhe wings, apart of the wings in a distance froan the axis o"f rotation half roof .shaped, a at shaped portion, a largo part of the wing ad jacent to the axis forming a flat plain provided with large flapless openings, the starting apparatus of the aircraft consisting of swinging wings the cam discs oi1 said shaft,

end f a connecting rod the upper en fonr. pliuble. artificial legs und connecting 1 0(ls mezms fo1' suddenly and slmultaneously strolvl1ing fl\e previously bent legs.

10. In an aircraft with swinging wings tl1o cmnbination of a power engine, a slmft lriven thereby, cam cliscs 0n Said sl1aft, ro'cls conneeting said discs with the wiv.gs. tl1e art of the wing distant from ehe uxis half 1'00f shaped, a flat searn snrrounding tl1is half roof shaped poron 0f ehe wing. a lznge flat part of the wing adjacent l0 tl1e axis of rotation provided with large flnpless open-ings, the starting apparatus 0f ll1e aircraft consisting of four pliable legs und connerting rods, each leg composed by an upper leg capable to swing forward5 vom its vertical position and backward s ugain t0 its vertieal position with reference to the body of the aircraft, the lower end of sal l upper leg linked to the fulcrum of a two anned lever the longer arm 0f whicl1 for1ns the sl1ank 0f said artificial leg, the slrler arm m. seid lever'linked to the l(welf 0 whicl1 in front 0f fhe upoer leg linked 130 the botto1n of the body 0f the aircraft so as to bencl saicl sl1ank to seid upper leg when b he upper leg swings forwards from its vertical position, und to stretch said shank again when the upper leg returns to its vertical position; tl1e lower end of said slmnk linked to the mldclle 0E a foot, the heel end 0 f said foot tl1us eonnected'by means of a link 1'0d to a sl1ort process 0f the upper leg that said foot is at right angle to the sl1ank in the half bent state 0f the leg, stretching the foot t0 the sl1ank when said shank gets s'tretched to theupper'leg, anal bending the foot to tl1e shank, wl1en said sl1ank gets bent to the upper leg; transverse shafts passing through the front ends at two front feet ancl two rear feet respectively, wheels rotatably fitted 011 botl1v ends 0 f said transverse shafts 0f the feet; transverse rodS connecting tWo upper legs, a longitudinal r0d connecting saicl transverse rods; the lower arm of a two arrned lever rotatably mounted on a transverse axle linked to'said longitudinal rod;

a longitudinally directecl cylifnder in the body of the aircraft, apiston moving in said cvlinder.'a piston rod linked to said .piston, the front end of said piston rod linked t0 tl1e upper arm of said single two armed lever; a downwards tlirected opening in the Wall of saicl cylinder permitting t0 escape the waste gases of an explosion, which stretches sdclenly and simultaneously all tlie previously bent artificial legs, w hich lift the star'ting aircraft vertlcally upwards.

In testimony whepeof I have signed my name to this specification this 24th day 015 March, 1926.

' ADOLF EHRLICH. 

